Ring Ratings Update: Rigondeaux climbs pound-for-pound rankings

Chuck Giampa

December 10, 2013

RING junior featherweight champ Guillermo Rigondeaux defended his 122-pound titles with a unanimous shutout decision over former two-time bantamweight beltholder Joseph Agbeko during a busy weekend of boxing. The flawless Cuban climbed two spots on THE RING’s pound-for-pound top 10.

There was a lot of significant RING-ratings movement during the packed weekend due to some interesting fights and results.

Pound-for-Pound: Rigondeaux’s complete mastery over Agbeko, an experienced world-class fighter, solidified his status as one of the best pure boxers in the sport. In April, the former amateur star dethroned then-RING 122-pound champ Nonito Doniare, who was a consensus top-five pound-for-pound rated fighter. The follow-up victory over Agbeko makes Rigondeaux, who won his first major title in his ninth pro bout, a Fighter of the Year candidate. It also advanced him from No. 10 to No. 8 in the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, pushing Adrien Broner and Canelo Alvarez to Nos. 9 and 10.

Super Middleweight: No. 8-rated Sakio Bika (35-5-3, 21 KOs) kept his WBC title with a draw against unrated Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KOs). Both were not satisfied with the draw but Bika’s activity and cleaner punches seemed to deserve the keeping of his title. No changes and no ranking for Dirrell.

Featherweight: No. 1-rated Chris John (48-1-3, 22 KOs) was stopped in the sixth round by unrated Simpiwe Vetyeka (26-2, 16 KOs). Based on this fight, John will drop to No. 6; Vetyeka will enter at No. 5 with Nonito Donaire (32-2, 21 KOs) dropping from the ratings. Nos. 1 through 4 will move up one spot. Nos. 6 through 9 will move down one spot.

Junior Featherweight: RING champ Rigondeaux (13-0, 8 KOs) retained his titles by a wide margin decision over Agbeko (29-5, 22 KOs), the No. 6-rated in bantamweight. No changes in the rankings and Agbeko will remain No. 6 at bantamweight pending his decision to continue to fight at 118 pounds.

Junior Bantamweight: No. 10-rated Daiki Kameda (30-3, 18 KOs) fought Liborio Solis (16-3-1, 7 KOs) which was to be for the IBF and the vacant WBA titles. Though Solis won on a close split decision, he failed to make weight twice, once at the weigh-in and then at the IBF fight-day weigh-in. He was over 130 pounds. Thus we can’t rate Solis so we will keep Kameda, who only lost a split decision against a much heavier opponent, at No. 10.